Traveling conveyer.



` No. 744,457. l PATENTED Nov. 17,1903.

VE. BALTZLBY.

s TRAVELING GONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1903.

` NQ MODBLJ 3 SHEBTSffSHEBT 1.

com

@Nog 744,457.

PATENTED NOV'. 17', 1903.

E. BALTZLEY. TRAVBLING GONVEYEIL APPLIoATIoN FILED JULY a. 190s. NoMonnp.

ivo. 744,45*?.

NITED STATES Patented November 1'7, 19053.

PATENT Ormea. v

TRAVELING CONVEYER.

`EEECIFIGACLION forming part of Letters Patent o. 744,457, datedNovember I7, 1903.

Application filed July 8, 1903. Serial. No. 164,108. (No modeL- i To allwhom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN BALTZLEY, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of VVashingtomin the District of Columbia,have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Traveling Conveyers, of which thefollowing isa specification.

This invention is designedto provide certain improvements in travelingconveyers of that type in which a series of treads forming or connectedto an endless belt is propelled continuously in apredetermined path insuch manner that a person standing on one vof the tread-surfaces will becarried thereby from one point to another without effort on his part.

Myimprovements relate more particularly to conveyers in which thetread-surfaces are grated and are arranged to coperate with stationarygrated landings'at the points where passengers step upon and'leave thetraveling belt, and are hereinshown and described as embodied in anescalator or traveling stairway for carrying persons from one elevationto another, such being the most common use for conveyers of the typeabove referred to.

The main features of my invention, however, relate to thetaking on andlanding of passengers regardless of the direction in' 'malspeed of theendless chain or belt of which the tread-surfaces are elements. In suchcase a passenger must evidently experience a maximum change of motion ingetting on or off the escalator and, by reason of the danger to thepassenger which would result from giving a high speed to the belt suchspeed has necessarily been slow, and the capacity of these priorescalators has been correspondingly limited.

A main object of myinvention is to provide l an escalator or similartraveling conveyer which will pick upand deposit passengers withoutcausing them to undergo so abrupt a change of motion with a given beltvspeed, as has 'been necessary heretofore, and thus to minimize thediscomfort and danger to the passengers when they are taken up anddeposited or, what amounts to the same thing, to increase the capacityof `the conveyer, assuming that the horizontal speed heretofore employedat the points of takin g up and landing passengers is a safe andpracticable speed. With this object in view I provide means whereby thegrated treads are caused to interleave with the grated landings at agreater elevation than the surfaces of the latter, the horizontal speedof the tread-surfaces being then gradually reduced until said surfacesdisappear through the grated landings, and thus deposit the passenger onthe latter, so that the passenger when deposited upon the landing iscaused to undergo a change of motion which corresponds with that of thereduced horizontal speed of the treads `and :is less than would beimparted by the actual belt speed. Conversely, in picking up a passengerfrom a grated landing the grated treadsurfaces of my conveyer risethrough thelanding while moving at a less horizontal y speed than theactual belt speed, and after the passenger has thus been picked up bythe treads his horizontal speed is gradually increased, and he is thencarried up Aor down` the flight or in any other desired direction.

Itis one of the features of my invention that the grated tread-surfacesofmy conveyer are caused to interleave with and travel for a suitabledistance above the surface of the landing prior to'disappearing throughthe same, so that the passenger is carried completely over the landingbefore being deposited thereon, and his feet come in contactinstantaneously with a stationary part from which he can" move offforwardly in a natural manner without undergoing any confusing impartedmotion.

My invention also includes certain constructional features and details,such as steps, guides., and other parts hereinafter described.

My improvements as embodied in an escalator are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, which are diagrammatic in their nature and arenot intended to represent with exactness the details of commercialconstruction.

IOO

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the moving parts of onearrangement of my escalator, showing also landings properly related tothe upper and lower ends thereof. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of thelandings, showing also an intermediate grating which I prefer to employ,together with means for adjusting the landings vertically. Fig. is aside elevation similar to Fig. l, showing the upper end of an escalatorof modiiied construction. Fig. 4 is a transverse section through theguideways at one side of the escalator, showing the relation of thesteps thereto and to the upper landing. Fig. 5 is an elevation showingguideways employed with the construction shown in Fig. l. Fig. 6 is aview showing an arrangement of the V guideways and related landingssuitable for use at the upper end of an ascending and de scendingescalator. Figs. 7 and S are :respectively a rear view and a sideeleva-tion of a step. Figs. 9 and lO are perspective views illustratingdifferent forms of links.

Referring to the drawings, my traveling conveyer is therein representedas composed of a number of steps or tread-sections 2, each of which ispivotally connected with an endless'belt composed of connected links 3,so that the steps provide in their operation an endless series oftread-surfaces. This belt will preferably consist of two or more chainsof links, so that if a link in one chain breaks I the remaining' chainor chains will hold the wheels in any suitable manner.

steps in proper relation. The endless series of links and steps shown inFig. l passes over two sprocketwvheels land 5, located, respectively, atthe ends of the escalator and is driven by power applied to either ofthe sprocket- In the drawings the upper sprocket-wheel 4 is shown as thedriving-wheel, being provided with a number of spurs or teeth 6, eachadapted to enter a socket 7 cut in each of the links when driving theendless belt in one direction and to enter the mortises 8 in said linkswhen the belt is driven in the opposite direction. The constructionsshown in the drawings are adapted to be driven in either direction toprovide an ascending or descending escalator, as may be desired.

Each of the steps 2 is so pivoted to the endless belt of links that itis capable of an independent pivotal movement sufficient to enable it toassume various angles with respect to the path of the belt, and thus tofollow.

guideways, whereby the tread surfaces are maintained in proper positionto support a passenger so long as he remains thereon. In Fig. l the rearsides of the steps are pivoted to the links, regarding this ligure asshowing an ascending escalator, while in Fig. 3 the forward sides of thesteps are pivoted to the links. The step shown in Figs. 7 and 8 isprovided with a central axis 9, adapted to serve as a connection withthe links, and with either of these arrangements the steps may bepivoted to either end of the links or to the center thereof, the formerconstruction being shown in Figs. l and 3, and a link 3 suitable for thelatter construction being shown in Fig. l0. In each case the links arelocated between the downwardly-extending ends of the steps.

The tread-surfaces of the several steps are grated, as shown in Figs. 4and 7, and at or near the ends of the escalator are located gratedlandings 10 and ll, arranged to interleave with the grated stepssuccessively. By preference the grated landings are connected by aninclined grating l2, as shown in Fig. 2. These grated landings arepreferably made adjustable by suitable means, such as screws 13, so thatthey can be moved up or down to adjust them to any desired height withrespect to the maximum elevation of the treadsurfaces at the landings.

The steps 2 are guided in their travel and their treadsu'rfaces are keptlevel while exposed above and between the landings by means of suitableguides or guideways 14 and l5, in which travel antifriction-rollers 16and 17, journaled on the ends of each step, near its front and rearsides. In case these rollers are journaled on axes 18, extending fromend to end of the steps, as shown in Fig. 4, each link 3 is providedwith a recess 19 to receive the axis at the free side of thecorresponding step and provide for a sufficient pivotal movementthereof. These guideways are located outside the vertical plane oftheends of the steps, as shown in Fig. 4, and one of them, as l5, ispreferably contained within the boundaries of the other, being narrowerthan the latter and extending farther inward. These guideways preferablycoincide with each other in direction on the ascending or descendingincline and along the return-path Aof the belt; but at the ends of theincline these guideways diverge in such manner as to keep thetread-surfaces substantially parallel with the landings for a shortdistance from each end of the incline.

The pat-h of the steps at the ends of the incline is such that thegrated treads enter the landing toward which they are moving at adistance above the surfaces of the latter, and after the interleaving ofthe treads with the landing has been accomplished the horizontal speedof the treadsurfaces is reduced by causing the steps to move in a pathforming a suitable angle with the horizontal landings, whereby the beltspeed as communicated to the treads is divided between the vertical IOOlIO

and the horizontal, thus reducing the latter which the rollers on thesteps move successively at the actual belt speed, or substantially so,and during their movement along these inclined portions the treadsurfaces pass through the landing. At the lower end of the inclinedportions of the guideways the belt and steps reach the uppersprocketwheel and passaround the same andthen back to the lowersprocket-wheel.

According tothe arrangement shown in Fig. 3, the sprocket-wheel 4 itselftakes up the belt and the forward ends of the steps successively at theupper end of the inclined grating and becomes a guide thereforethroughout the succeeding half -revolution of the sprocket wheel,considering this ligure to show an ascending escalator, the free ends ofthe steps being guided by the inner guideway 15 to preserve theirtread-surfaces horizontal. Vith this arrangement the successivetreadsurfaces reach the position of maximum elevation when that arm ofthe sprocket which engages them reaches a vertical position'and thenbegin to descend at an angle to the horizontal, thereby graduallyreducing the horizontal component of the belt speed and effecting thelanding of the passenger, as above described. In this figure I show thesteps journaled to the belt at their forward or front side, while inFig. 1 the rear side of each step is journaled to the belt, aspreviously described. With the construction shown in Fig.`

3 it is not essential that there should be any guideways for thejournaled ends of the steps from the point at which they are engaged bythe sprocket-wheel 4 onto the lower sprocketwheel, because at said pointthe sprocketwheel itself becomes a guide for the steps, and the outerguideway 14 may be widened at this point to'free it from frictionalcontact with the rollers carried by the steps, but in practice I preferto make the guideways continuous, so asto control the steps throughouttheir travel. cially should be continuous throughout the path of thebelt for the purpose of preventing the rollers 16 from gettinginto them.To this end also the rollers 16 are preferably made somewhat larger thanthe roller 17, as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be understood, in connection with the foregoing description ofthe landing of a passenger at a reduced horizontal speed, that at thetaking-on landings the same construe` tions will result in picking up apassenger at a less horizontal speed than the actual belt speed andtherefore with less danger and discomfort to the passenger.

It is desirable to land passengers at the earliest practicable instantafter they reach the level of a landing, for that is the psychologicalinstant for landing, and the passenl. ger naturally follows thesequential movements of a iinished ride along the incline by taking astep and walking off in the forward direction open to him as soon as theend of the incline is reached. If the landing of the The inner guidewaysespepassenger is delayed beyond this point, an act of decision isrequired in getting off the moving tread and walking away which is moreor,V less confusing, especially when the escalator iscrowded withpassengers. At the lower end of a descending flight it is desirable togive the steps a horizontal movement for a distance at least equal tothe width of a step before landing a passenger in order to remove himfrom the path of the step next following the one he is on, and thearrangement shown in Fig. 1, which maybe either an ascending ordescending escalator, makes provision for doing this and also providesfor a similar horizontal movement before landing atlthe upper end of theflight in case it is used as an ascending escalator. It is notnecessary, however, to provide for so much of a horizontal movement atthe upper end of an ascending flight, and in this case the landing maybe accomplished more quickly, as by the construction shown in Fig. 3.

I prefer to bevel the forward upper corners of the steps, as at 22, inorder to provide against any possible danger of an advancing stepstriking the heel of a passenger after he has landed in case he hasfailed to walk forward and off the landing. This bevel is sufficient topass under the heel of a passenger and lift his foot by a wedging actionuntil the step has disappeared beneath the grating.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 1 when used either as an ascendingV or asa descending escalator provides also for taking up a passenger fromeither landing at a horizontal speed which is less than the natural beltspeed and then moving him horizontally a short distance at the actualbelt speed prior to ascending or descending the incline, as the case maybe. This arrangement is desirable, because opportunity is therebyprovided for imparting to the passenger the maximum speed at which heenters upon the incline in either direction, and he isnot obliged toaccommodate himself to a change of motion so close to the end of theincliueas might cause confusion and danger of falling.

In Fig. 6 I have shown an arrangement whereby a continuous conveyercomprising grated steps, such as previously described, may be employedfor carrying passengers in either direction, provision being made forlanding and picking up passengers going in either direction at the topof the incline. In this arrangement the grated portions 23 and 24 of thelanding extend in opposite directions from a central portion 25, whichneed not be grated and which may serve as a passage-way across whichpassengers may pass in a lateral direction. In this figur-e the iiightshown on the right is assumed to be the ascending flight, the steps,guideways, and links being constructed and arranged as shown in Fig. 1and the guideways being provided With inclined portions 20 andV 2l' foreffecting a reduction of the horizontal speed of the passenger prior tolanding him, as pre- ICO viously'describcd. After a step has passed downthe inclined portions 20 and 2l it reaches horizontal portions 26 and27, along which it travels entirely beneath the central portion 25 of.the landing, and it then passes into inclined portions 28 and 29, whichcause the grated surface of the step torise through the portion 24 ofthe landing` at a reduced horizontal speed suitable for picking up apassenger. The step then moves horizontally for a short distance untilit is free from the landing and then passes down the descending incline,the guideways for this incline being shown at 30 and 3l. These latterguideways, it will be noted, are not practically coincident, as are theguideways on the ascending incline; but this fact is merely anincidental result of journaling the rollers to the ends of the steps atunequal distances from the tread-surfaces of the steps, and it is to beunderstood that the guideways will in all cases be laid out and arrangedso as to preserve the tread-surfaces in the desired position, accordingto the location of the rollers on the steps.

I am aware that in prior constructions of this general character gratedtread-surfaces have been caused to interleave with stationary gratedlandings while moving in a horizontal direction; but this interleavingaction and the landing of the passenger has occurred While the surfacesof the treads and the landing were flush, or substantially so, in whichcase the toe of the passenger iirst engages the landing, and his foot isthereafter driven onto the landing by the traction of his heel upon theadvanced treads. By my construction, however, in which the treadsurfacesenter the grated landing above the surface of the latter and then passdown through it, the passenger is deposited instantaneo u sly on thestationary landing without friction or previous contact of` his feetwith the landing, so that the entire surface adjacent to his feet at theinstant of landing is wholly stationary, and no confusion can resultfrom contact of his feet with two parts, one of which is stationary andthe other in motion.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination with a series of treadsforming an endless belt and having grated surfaces, and means forpropelling the same continuously in a predetermined path, of a gratedlanding arranged to interleave with the tread-surfaces successively, andmeans for causing said tread-surfaces to pass through the upper surfaceof the landing at a less horizontal speed than the horizontalspeed ofsaid tread-surfaces at adjacent points of their eX- posed travel.

2. The combination with a series of treads forming an endless belt andhaving grated surfaces, and means for propelling the same along anincline, of a grated landing located adjacent to the upper end of theincline and arranged to interleave with the tread-surfacessuccessively,and meansfor causing said treadsurfaces to pass through theupper surface of the landing at a less horizontal speed than the actualpropelling speed.

3. The combination with a series of treads forming an endless belt andhaving grated surfaces, and means for propelling the same along anincline, of a grated landing located adjacent to the upper end of theincline and arranged to interleave with the tread-surfaces successively,and meansfor causing said treadsurfaces to pass through the surface ofsaid landing after having traveled above said landing throughout theirlengths.

4. The combination with a series of treads forming an endless belt andhaving grated surfaces, and means for propelling the same, of a gratedlanding, and means for causing said tread-surfaces to interleave withand travel forwardly over said landing and subsequently to pass throughthe upper surface thereof at aless horizontal speed than thelongitudinal speed of said tread-surfaces adjacent to the landing.

5. The combination of a series of steps forming an endless belt andhaving grated tread-surfaces, a grated landing arranged to interleavewith said surfaces successively, guideways for said steps, and means forpropelling the latter along said guideways, each of said guidewayscomprising a downwardlyinclined unloading portion located beneath saidlanding.

6. The combination of a series of steps' forming an endless belt andhaving grated tread-surfaces, a grated landing arranged to interleavewith said surfaces successively, guideways for said steps eachcomprising an inclined portion located beyond said landing, an inclinedportion located beneath the landing, and a third portion connecting saidinclined portions and extending substantially parallel with the landing,and means for propelling said steps along said guideways.

7. The combination with a series of treads forming an endless belt andhaving grated surfaces, and means for propelling the same, of a landinghaving grated end portions, and means for causing said tread-surfaces tointerleave with the grated ends of said landing successively and to passdownward and beneath the central portion thereof.

8. The combination of a series of steps forming an endless belt andhaving grated treadsurfaces, a landing having grated end portions,guideways for said steps comprising horizontal portions arranged tocause said steps successively to interleave with the landing with theirtread-surfaces above the level of said landing, an intermediatehorizontal portion arranged to cause the tread-surfaces of said steps topass beneath the central portion of said landing, inclined portionsconnecting said horizontal portions, and inclined portions serving asascending and descending inclines respectively, and means for propellingsaid steps along said guideways.

9. The combination with a series of steps having grated tread-surfacesand forming an endless belt, and means for propelling the same, ofguideways for said steps located adjacent to the ends thereof, one ofsaid guideways being` wider than the other and the latter guideway beinglocated within the former, and guides connected to said steps andinevable in said guideways.

lO. In a traveling conveyer, the combination of a chain composed of aseries of connected links and a series of steps each pivoted midwaybetween `its front and rear sides to one of said links.

11. In a traveling conveyer, the combination of a series of linksconnected to form an endless chain, and a series of steps each pivotedto the center of one of the links.

12. In a traveling oonveyer, the combination of a series of connectedlinks forming an endless chain, aseries of steps each pivotallyconnected thereto, each of said links being provided with a socket, andmeans for propelling said chain. comprising a spocket-wheel havingprojections adapted to enter said sockets successively.

13. In a traveling conveyer, the combination of a series of steps havingdownwardlyextending end portions provided with bearings on their outerfaces, and an endless belt located between said end portions andpivotally secured thereto. t

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribedmy name this 1st day ofJuly, 1903.

EDWIN BALTZLEY.

Witnesses:

E. D. GHADWICK, .TosEPHrNE H. RYAN.

